The Crimson Blossom
by Miya Azlikov
Summary: When Sakura is thrown back in time, she finds that two things have lasted the movement through the 5th dimension: her powers, and her sickness. Things take a turn when Sakura, not Sasuke, is bitten by Orochimaru at the Chuunin Exams, and she finds herself lost in a world of deceit, death, and unexpected romance. ItaXSaku
1. Chapter 1

Once, Sakura Haruno was known as the hopeless optimist. She was as bright and as cheerful as her eye-popping pink hair and vibrant viridian eyes, as mesmerizing as the cherry blossoms in spring. Her heart was light and naïve, her world simple. It revolved around petty things like her fights with Ino and her devotion to a certain dark-haired boy.

Barely five years later, she is a changed person. Her hair is just as pink, and her eyes just as green; but Sakura Haruno is no longer the hopeless optimist that cried at things as silly as short hair. No. Sakura Haruno has seen more death than perhaps any person in the world. She has seen it on the battlefield, seen it in her home, seen it in the hospital. She has seen ninja and civilian die; has seen strangers and friends and enemies bleed out before her. She has seen it all, and she is broken.

Her home—beaten to dust, drenched in blood. Empty, silent.

Her friends—dead.

Her one love—the cause of all the destruction around her.

* * *

 _Sakura. Sakura—will you kill me? I've killed everything you hold dear._

 _Of course you can't. You're too weak. Pathetic._

 _Welcome to the end._

With a start, Sakura leapt out of her futon. Her shirt was drenched in sweat, her breaths labored and sharp in her chest. She began to cough blood onto her palms and wondered what was wrong now. She'd been taking a myriad of antidepressants, painkillers, and chakra enhancers for the past year in order to deal with her job as an on-field medic and as the head of the hospital—or, what was left of it.

The sudden realization that she was in an unfamiliar room hit her, and she tensed immediately, snapping into a standing position. A small fire crackled beside her, but the fire seemed to float mid-air; cautiously, she swept her hand through it. It did not burn—rather, the flames circled her and she found herself falling.

 _Sakura_ —

She gasped. How long had it been since she'd heard this voice? "Tsunade—"

 _There's no time. Sakura, listen—you must change what has happened in the past. Change it, or we will see the same path of destruction. Beware of—_

The darkness receded, and she found herself alone. She was not in an unfamiliar room, she realized then, but in the room of her younger days—back when she'd come home to her family every night and slept without a kunai between her fingertips. The situation overwhelmed her, and she found blackness once again.

Sakura awoke before dawn the next morning—a habit from her previous life as a medic. Quietly, she rose and assessed her body. She was shorter now, and with a frown, she noted to train a bit alone to get accustomed to her body's new proportions; thankfully, though, her chakra control and all of the other skills she'd learned from Tsunade had survived her travel through time, and save for her new, lower vantage point, she was just as bit the skilled, respected Sakura Haruno as she had been yesterday.

 _Respected? Yeah right_ , Sakura thought bitterly. She reminded herself that now, she was but a frivolous, pink-haired girl.

With a sigh, Sakura opened her window and silently leapt out and into the darkness. It was almost healing to her body to see the town in its quiet, undestroyed state; she walked by the old ramen stand, the academy, the Hokage's tower, and the townhouses in a state of mesmirization. All of it was gone in her time: ripped to boards and nails, scraps, and unrecognizable dust.

Unconsciously, her feet took her to the graveyard. Even with her busy schedule as a medic, she'd visited it often, just as Kakashi had in his day. Now, as she stared at the place, she could still imagine the other tombstones—the ones that bore her mother's, father's, friends' names. And for the first time in months, Sakura began to weep. She didn't cry obnoxiously, but quietly, with the full force of her body. Her shoulders shook, and her pain was almost tangible in the cold air. She didn't know how long she knelt on grass that was unmarked—at least, for the time being—tracing her fingers over the place where she'd usually be outlining her surname.

Before long, she felt something in her chest again, and she found herself coughing blood onto the grass. It would seem that, just as her previous powers had followed her to this era, so too had her health conditions.

She was so absorbed in her pain that she failed to notice a pair of crimson eyes following her movements from the graveyard's front gate.


	2. Chapter 2

She figured out, pretty quickly, that today was the day that she would be going to the Land of the Waves. It was written in all of the little notes she'd pasted on her wall as a young girl. Sakura had to smile in amusement at the little messages: "Kick ass!" "You tell 'em who SAKURA HARUNO is!"

 _Childish_ , Sakura mused. _But sweet._

Sakura rummaged through her belongings and packed her essentials, making note to discard all the cosmetic accessories and clothing she'd packed previously. With a sigh, she wrapped her weapons carefully and tucked them into the easily accessible slots. Her coughing fit returned, and she reached for her medication, only to realize that she had none. Disturbed, she decided to finish up quickly and head for the closest pharmacy.

It was still early, so the places were still closed, but Sakura had no time to wait. There was no way she'd last the entire mission - one she knew would be extremely strenuous - without them. Quietly, she stalked towards the closest place and did a quick transformation jutsu, morphing her features into that of the manager's. Her fingers touched door, and she sent a shock of chakra through the keyhole to move the lock; she then proceeded to delve into the counters and bagged what she needed, placing the money into the cash register.

Once she passed the pharmacy's cameras, she dropped her transformation and felt herself shrink to her actual height. As she turned the corner, she bumped into a man and dropped her things out of shock. It was unusual to find a civilian awake so early, after all. Sakura apologized automatically, bending down to pick up the bottles of pills. The man bent down to help her, and it was only when Sakura looked up to see his face that she stopped in her tracks.

He was not so much a man now, but a teenager with the maturity of an adult.

" _Uchiha_ ," she whispered, shocked. She hated the way her body unconsciously trembled, the way she recoiled at his touch like a freaking _baby_. She told herself to snap out of whatever trance she was in and hastily gathered the bottles. He didn't have to say anything for her to sense that he was disturbed, and she honestly couldn't blame him. She was weak, thirteen-year-old fangirl Sakura - with medication fit for a cancer patient.

She didn't give him a chance to say anything, though, and quickly teleported her way back home. It wasn't until she got back to the confines of her room that she realized that weak, thirteen-year-old fangirl Sakura wouldn't have known how to do that.

* * *

It was cold, Sakura noted, as she stood at the gates waiting for her team. Sasuke had arrived shortly after her; they'd shared a brief glance before she had turned away coldly, opting to read from a medical textbook that she'd brought with her. She needed to figure out what kind of medication her younger body would be able to cope with, after all.

Naruto appeared towards the end of the hour, and Sakura could not help but smile at his presence. Young Naruto was every bit as positive and as charming as the older Naruto, only more innocent, more inane.

"Sakura!" he beamed cheerfully. "Are you ready for this _awesome_ mission? I'm going to be so, so cool-"

"Shut up, loser," Sasuke cut in snidely.

" _What'd you say, teme?"_ Naruto screeched, side-tracked from his claim entirely. She shook her head, sadly looking between the two. _If only things stayed this simple, forever._

Kakashi arrived, late, and just as it had happened years ago, Team Seven headed out towards the horizon. They reached the Waves by the end of the day and intercepted Tazuna. She looked at the man shrewdly, and he seemed to squirm even under a thirteen-year-old's scrutiny.

 _For good reason_ , she muttered to herself. _Sending children into the hands of S-ranked criminals._

Sakura sighed as they walked slowly. She half-wished to carry the man on my back and get to shelter already. Something about traveling through the dimensions of time had taken an unusual toll on her body, and even with the endurance she'd slaved to achieve, she felt fatigue at the corners of my mind. They continued to shuffle slowly in their group when they crossed the spot where their first ninja battle had occurred.

 _Not this time,_ Sakura thought grimly, and with a practiced motion, slid a kunai from her leg. Within seconds, it flew through the air and hit its target: the giveaway puddle in the middle of the road. The water disintegrated and in its wake, all that was left was the form of two men in gear. The kunai had speared through both of their bodies, entering at the chest of one man and exiting the back of the other.

The looks she got were of alarm, confusion, and surprise. Naruto was simply paralyzed from the blood; it seemed to take Sasuke a moment to piece together the events before it dawned on him that she had eliminated an enemy before he'd even realized there _was one;_ and Kakashi just seemed startled by the fact that his _useless girl_ had sent the death blow.

"Let's continue before more come for the man," Sakura said quietly, prodding Tazuna in the back. He seemed startled and somewhat shocked to be commanded by a pink-haired girl, but complied nonetheless. It was enough for Kakashi to confirm that what she said was true. They moved quicker after that, and Sakura did her best to ignore the stares on her back.

* * *

Kakashi fell into step beside her and she waited for his words. They didn't come for a while, but that was to be expected. Kakashi was a man of few words, and Sakura assumed he was looking for just the right ones.

"Yes?" she asked quietly, searching his eyes - er, _eye -_ for something. Anything.

He cleared his throat. "How did you..."

"It hasn't rained in months," Sakura said simply, remembering his own explanation with a shrug. "There was only one explanation."

"Ah," Kakashi said, dropping the subject. Sakura knew he was in no way dissuaded; she could feel his eyes on her for the remainder of the walk.

* * *

It wasn't until the next night that they came across Zabuza. Perhaps because they'd wasted no time at the first encounter, they'd somehow prolonged the time between them; either way, she wasn't complaining. Another night's rest had returned energy to Sakura's body, and I felt fresher.

"Stay back," Kakashi warned, just as he had the first time around. Naruto and Sasuke obeyed, and Sakura followed, simply waiting for her opportunity. The fight replayed in the same manner that she remembered, with Kakashi and Zabuza fighting by the water. The mist was thicker this time, though, and it was the first time that she realized that any of her actions had a lasting effect on the future. Something as simple as finishing off the earlier ninja with her kunai had delayed the fight and altered the conditions.

To her horror, she was beginning to realize that these conditions in no way favored Kakashi. In fact, with the way he was sluggishly moving, it had turned the tables almost entirely.

* * *

This time, Zabuza made no move to encase Kakashi in a dome of water. Like any experienced ninja, Sakura saw his arm go up in a movement of execution, and she knew she couldn't stay still no longer. Not if she didn't want to see another one of her loved ones fall to oblivion. Sasuke took a hesitant step forwards, but Sakura pushed him back and dove into the situation almost subconsciously. His sword came down towards her and she barely caught it in time. Her arms shook under the pressure of the sword, but she kept pushing her weight into the kunai. With a sharp burst of chakra, she forced him backward.

Kakashi was shocked, to say the least; his cry of warning had gone silent, and he only stared now.

"Dispel the mist," she said, her voice clear in the silence.

Zabuza, who was intrigued to say the least, laughed. "And why would I do that, little girl?"

"Are you not confident enough to win without it?" Sakura countered. "Keep it up, then."

Her words hit home - right at the male ego - and, sure enough, the mist dropped. She couldn't help but smirk. Men were so alike. So proud and easily influenced by power and hierarchy. He came at her again.

This time, Sakura avoided the blow completely. They danced around the perimeter of the water, him jabbing, and her foreseeing his attacks, even without a bloodline trait. He seemed frustrated by this, and Sakura took that into account. She continued her work.

It wasn't until several minutes later that she pulled the chakra strings that she'd laced around his body without his knowledge. She brought chakra to her fingertips and cut several tendons and muscles, until his entire body lay limp, unable to move. The sword he held dropped to the ground, and Sakura cut two more points: one that allowed him to open his eyes, and another that temporarily stopped his pulse. He was a dead man, practically; but Sakura knew he could still hear whatever she said next.

Kakashi struggled to stand beside Sakura and knelt to assess her work. Her chakra strings had torn into his skin, but aside from that, her work was clean. He felt for a pulse, and when he found none, nodded. "He's dead."

* * *

Haku came, just as she had remembered, and she heard Kakashi telling the others that he was one of those hunter ninjas that took care of criminal bodies. Sakura went along with it, but before Haku could leave, she flash-stepped to his side.

"Your work with Gato," she said dangerously. "Leave it be. Go somewhere else. I know you can still hear me, Zabuza. Mark my words - the next time we see each other, you won't be so lucky. I'd advise you to take this chance and go far, _far_ away. And this child here; I'd advise you to cherish him. You will not always be so lucky to have him by your side."


	3. Chapter 3

They ate dinner at Tazuna's house. With a nostalgic smile, Sakura remembered the last time this had happened: Sasuke and Naruto had fought to eat the most, they'd ended up puking all over the floor. This time, though, Naruto simply blabbed on about how _cool_ she was, and Sasuke sat there staring at her with the oddest expression. He seemed torn between confusion and admiration, although Sakura knew he still hadn't forgotten about the pills earlier.

"Sakura, have you been training with someone?" Kakashi asked lightly, although she could sense the seriousness in his eyes. She could also see the boys' ears perk up the slightest bit, their necks craning to hear her answer.

"Here and there," she replied casually, taking a sip of tea from her cup.

"Chakra strings..."

"I've always had good control," Sakura said pointedly. "It was only a matter of practice. And time."

Kakashi nodded, and Naruto continued to blab on about how ridiculously _awesome_ she was. She ruffled his hair without thinking - it had been _months_ since she'd seen him alive, had been able to talk to him face-to-face, and not face-to-tombstone - and fondly noted how he turned as red as a tomato. Sasuke, for his part, looked equally shocked; Sakura found it odd how he seemed to _sulk_ at her lack of attention. She'd given it to him with unreciprocated devotion once, and he'd thrown it at his feet, spit on it, and trampled over her heart.

They finished their food and headed to the spare room for bed. Sakura immediately tucked herself into her bedding and put her head down to avoid conversation, although she knew sleep wouldn't come for a while.

The moment the others' breaths evened out, she fished out the pills from her bag and dry-swallowed three. Quietly, she lit a candle and opened her textbook, rolling onto her stomach in order to read the small print. One hand absentmindedly pressed against her chest, sending healing chakra to alleviate the internal bleeding in her lungs; the other held a pencil, which moved against the pages as she scratched out numbers and calculated the proportions of her new medication. She had a feeling she would need it.

* * *

She woke early the next morning, before any of the others had risen. The first rays of light had begun to peek out of the clouds when she slipped out into the forest and began looking for the medicinal herbs she needed. She'd succeeded in finding most of the things she needed when she entered a small clearing. The grass smelled fresh in her nose and the bay leaves gave a distinct aroma that Sakura found relaxing, but all of that escaped her mind when she saw a figure kneeling beside a root.

"Haku," Sakura breathed.

The boy looked up at her curiously, although not threateningly. There was a resigned peace in his eyes. "May I ask how you know my name?"

Sakura said nothing - after all, what _could_ she say?

Haku seemed to notice her predicament and patted the grass next to him. "Sit," he said calmly. At her tense stance and the way Sakura looked ready to pounce or run at any minute, Haku smiled. "Don't worry, I'm not here to start anything. I don't like to fight unless...well, unless there is a need."

Sakura nodded, hesitantly dropping beside the boy. Just as Naruto had told them, he _was_ stunningly pretty for a boy. His hair was glossy, his eyes kind and full of compassion. It was hard to ever think that this same boy had almost killed the two teammates that she had loved for so long. Her heart reached for him.

"Why do you stay with him?" Sakura asked finally. "You're a pacifist by nature; I can see it. Why do you insist on following an S-ranked criminal?"

Haku shrugged. "I've always followed him. Habit, then?" he laughed, the sound like velvet in her ears. "He's not as bad as you may think. Zabuza is just rough around the edges."

Sakura looked at the boy shrewdly. "I'm rough around the edges, too," she said, "but I don't go around trying to kill every soul I see."

Haku smiled. "I guess so. But sometimes, you love a person so much that you're willing to do anything," he said. "I'm sure you'll find a person as dear to you as Zabuza is to me. And you'll understand."

Sakura wanted to tell him that she'd already felt those same emotions, suffered from all of them to the extent that she'd contemplated taking her life more than a handful of times. She wanted to tell him that she was a hypocrite for saying such things because she'd loved the very man that had killed all the ones she'd loved-

"But I think you already understand, don't you?" Haku finished, eerily reading her mind.

Sakura said nothing, but her answer was clear: to both of them.

"You have to forgive yourself for following someone that may not be the perfect person. You can't change the heart. That's what makes us human, I suppose," Haku said with a knowing glance, leaning his head against the tree bark. Sakura couldn't help but notice how angelic the boy looked in that instance, and she realized that, in another world, she could have loved Haku. He was so selfless in his deeds, so devoted, so giving with his love - everything, she noted dryly, that Sasuke _wasn't._ He was perfect, really.

It was maybe hours later when Haku stood up to leave. He'd assured her, albeit vaguely, that Zabuza had no intention to fight her again. "He knows there's something off about you," Haku said thoughtfully. "Although he doesn't know _what_. Would you like to enlighten me?"

She did no such thing, but upon leaving, Sakura quietly handed Haku a couple herbs that she knew would help Zabuza recover from the ailments she'd given. Haku nodded graciously and left the ghost of a kiss on her cheek before he floated (like a freaking _fairy_ ) out of the clearing.

Slightly miffed that she'd gotten distracted from getting herbs for her _own_ ailments, Sakura returned to Tazuna's house.

* * *

"Dear God, Sakura, _where_ have you been?"

She blinked at the first words that Sasuke tossed her way when she slid open the tatami screen. Even his thirteen-year-old self was ridiculously gorgeous; and his eyes were every bit as mesmerizing, as intimidating. Something in her heart pulled sharply at the way his eyes were so much more unclouded, full of boyish competitiveness and naivety. They were without hatred and murderous intent. She'd missed those eyes.

She realized that he'd asked her a question and stammered something along the lines of, "Um...the forest?"

"It's dangerous, and we don't even know where we are," he scolded harshly. "What if that man-? God, whatever. You're so annoying. Just get in. Naruto's about to freaking blow his top." He put a hand on her elbow and steered her towards the hallway. Grimly, she noticed that he didn't let go, even when they came to a still in front of Kakashi and Naruto. The latter was wailing and throwing his arms around like, well, an utter baby.

"See, I told you she'd be fine," Kakashi exclaimed to Naruto, patting his head. "Sakura, what were you even doing so early, though? I'd imagined that you needed rest more than the others."

"I'm fine," Sakura said. "I was just out and about. It's that time of month for me. You know. Girl things."

The boys seemed to cringe at her particularly forward explanation and dropped the subject almost pathetically. She resisted the urge to cover her mouth and laugh. What would people think if they knew that maniacal, murderous missing-ninja Sasuke Uchiha had blushed at the mention of a girl's menstrual cycle?

He seemed to notice her amusement, because he frowned and roughly let go of her elbow, stalking into the room to gather his things.


	4. Chapter 4

Rather than simply leave his work with Gato, Zabuza ended up assassinating him in his own bed. He'd made things for Sakura ten times easier - she'd been anticipating a tedious battle with a bunch of crazy civilians and whatever missing ninja that Gato managed to hire. And so, for the second time in history, the bridge was built successfully. Team Seven left in high spirits: Naruto waving his arms in the air like a lunatic, Sasuke giving his usual handsome smirk, Kakashi pulling out his customary orange book, and Sakura waving politely.

They traveled quietly - or, as quietly as they could with Naruto at their heels, striking up random snippets of conversation every fifteen minutes. As they walked side-by-side, Sakura was hit by wave after wave of nostalgia. She felt like she was walking in a dream that would end any second. She'd seen Naruto's and Kakashi's deaths already, and it was still the oddest thing to walk beside them.

She was so caught up in her thoughts that she failed to sense several dangerous chakra presences ahead. It was only Sasuke's steel grip pulling her backwards into his chest that kept her from walking into a clearing with none other than Haku and Zabuza. The trees blocked most of her view, so she had to crane her neck to see who they were facing off. Even before she saw the man, she'd felt her gut drop. She _recognized_ that chakra presence...

One glance and she froze in horror. Sure enough, there stood Orochimaru and Kabuto in their fighting stances. And they were winning, that was for sure. Zabuza still wasn't in his best shape, and his movements were just the slightest bit less accurate; it was enough for Orochimaru to take the offense. He was completely and utterly occupied, leaving Haku alone to fend off Kabuto. The boy was struggling to deal with the medic-nin, and for good reason: his techniques had little effect on a man that continuously healed. He was bound to run out of even those senbon, too.

They stood in the trees, watching for a couple more moments. Sakura knew the boys were paralyzed in fear - this was the first time they'd ever faced so many dangerous threats in one place - and she hoped they stayed that way. She knew that they should just turn around and disappear, pretend they'd never come across such a scene; but then she caught a glimpse of Haku's face. His eyes met hers for the briefest second, flashing with a moment of recognition before he took a hit to the stomach and was drawn right back into the fight.

 _I don't like to fight, unless...well, unless I have to..._

Blood spurted from Haku's mouth, and he fell to his knees, unable to continue dodging.

"Sakura, _don't_ -" It wasn't Kakashi's voice, which she'd expected, but Sasuke's. He'd read the look in her eyes before her own teacher had.

"Too late," she muttered, and she dropped down into the clearing with a clean punch to the ground, knocking Kabuto off balance and away from his sprint to finish Haku's life.

* * *

Probably out of obligation, Kakashi landed beside her. With a curt nod, he lowered his mask, revealing his lone Sharingan eye; Sakura quickly scooped Haku up and flashed to the side of the clearing, where she quickly ran her hand over his chest. Her medic instincts overwhelmed her and she pushed healing chakra into his body, healing the potentially fatal lacerations. He was bleeding heavily internally, she knew, and made quick work of regenerating the tissue.

"Don't you dare die on me, pretty boy," Sakura cursed.

The operation took a toll on her body, but she knew she'd need all the chakra she had if she wanted to be useful against such goddamned opponents. Reluctantly, she reached into her pocket and took out a small pill. It was red, and all ninja knew they only used it for dire emergencies. The side effects were painful, crippling; and there was a pending time limit. One hour.

She popped it into her mouth and felt chakra return to her reserves almost magically. Reinvigorated, she quickly got onto her feet and returned to the scene of action. Upon seeing her in the midst of it all, she noticed, out of the corner of her eye, two particular boys ready to jump down as well. Remembering her entire purpose in this alternate world was to _change_ the past, not speed up the same results, Sakura did the only thing she could think of: she slammed her fist against the ground and watched as a ring of chakra surrounded the clearing like a glass wall. It efficiently kept Sasuke and Naruto left, but it gave the rest of them nowhere to go.

* * *

"Should I have done that?" Sakura breathed unsurely. "Goddammit."

Kakashi flipped beside her, his shoes digging into the earth as he came to a stop. "It was a good idea. But now you've used all of your-

"Nope, took a soldier pill," Sakura muttered. "One hour and I'm out, Kakashi. Let's do this."

* * *

"The girl," Orochimaru slithered. "What is the girl's name?"

Kabuto wiped a trickle of blood from his mouth. "I don't know, but she has a hell of a punch," he exclaimed. "Immense power reserves."

Orochimaru shook his head. "She can heal, but her skills are not fundamental," he said. "Rather...she reminds me of a certain someone."

"Tsunade?" Kabuto exclaimed. "Impossible. She's been off the grid for years."

"She is the one I want."

"The Uchiha-"

"Forget him. Do not make me repeat myself, Kabuto," Orochimaru whispered harshly, dodging a blade of water. "My reserves are running low, and this wretched body is still weak. I'll meet you at the headquarters. For now, go and research this girl. _She_ is the one."

* * *

Sakura heaved. The chakra she'd gained was quickly depleting, and she could feel unconsciousness at the edges of her mind, just waiting to sweep in. Parts of her body felt like they were on fire, and she knew she'd sustained some awful blows to the stomach. In her trodden state, she failed to sidestep to the side and felt a kunai embed itself into her shoulder. She let out a scream before biting her tongue so hard it bled. She ripped the offending metal from her body and flung it right back.

Surprised, Kabuto stumbled to the side, and Sakura found the opportunity to throw in a particularly bruising punch. It caught him in the temple and he spun backwards, digging a hole into the ground from the impact.

The hour was drawing near. Sakura collapsed to the ground, barely holding herself up on her knees.

The chakra barrier she'd put up flickered, and in that moment, Orochimaru disappeared in a puff of smoke. Kabuto was quick to follow. The only thing they left was a haunting message on the wind: " _Cherry blossom...my dear, we will meet again."_

With the threat of Orochimaru and Kabuto gone, Sakura lost herself to the darkness. She was only vaguely aware that she fell into a set of strong arms before even that sensation gave way to the fire.


End file.
